Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
“What can I get you?” the young teen boy asked.
“One of each, please.” According to everything Kiel read about Seaport, Ida’s was beyond famous for their lemonades. He didn’t have to wait long for his order. He paid cash and then grabbed both one original and one raspberry and made his way to where Eloise sat.
seven
Eloise spotted Kiel, the handsome, not so much of a stranger, as soon as he stepped onto the pier. She had finished the last scene on her painting and was about to pack up, but on a whim added him to the background. She often added people to her work, but they were imaginary and no one she knew. The woman staring off into the sunset or the little boy fishing with his dad were random subjects to her. They were non-descript figures in her landscapes. A smile formed as her eyes went from watching him to her brush strokes. He was easy to paint as his image played on repeat in her mind. Eloise liked Kiel and wanted to get to know him more, which was against her better judgment.
And he turned around and her smile fell. Maybe he hadn't seen her or come to look for her like in their past encounters. She watched him, as if she were afraid he’d disappear, and they'd continue this cat-and-mouse game they had going on.
When he approached Ida's Lemonade truck, she grabbed her pencil and wrote “Ida's” on the canvas. Eloise had the physical description memorized and could easily add it later. She would capture this scene and maybe give him the painting once she finished it. Her bold thought had her questioning her sanity. She barely knew the man and had no idea if he even appreciated art.
Kiel walked toward her, carrying two cups of frozen lemonade. When he was near, Eloise angled her easel and canvas so he couldn’t see what she worked on. The night they first met, she let him see her painting, but now, with him in it, she wanted the finished product to be a surprise. She put her paintbrush in her cup of paint riddled water and rubbed her hands on the fabric of her overalls.
“Hi.” Her insides twisted. In a good way. She wanted to see him. Talk to him.
“I'm surprised to find you here.” Kiel smiled and shifted from foot to foot.
Eloise pointed to the setting sun. “Can't pass up the setting sun.”
“The sunsets are really pretty here.” He looked from her to the sunset and then back at her. He grinned again and took a step forward.
“They’re some of the best I've ever seen.”
There was an awkward pause, where neither spoke nor looked at each other.
Eloise sighed as she thought about how to prolong their encounter. Packing up like she had done the last two times she saw him tugged at her thoughts. She thought if she did, he’d ask her to stay or ask if she needed help.
Not everything needs to be easy, Eloise.
“This is for you.” Kiel extended one cup toward her, giving her no choice but to stay. She wanted to thank him for breaking what could’ve easily become a habit. “It's raspberry. If you don't like that flavor, you can have the plain one. But you look anything but plain to me.”
Eloise accepted the gift only because she watched him buy them from the truck and bring them right to her. She would never do this otherwise.
“Raspberry is my favorite. Thank you.” And thank you for showing up here, again.
“Is it really or are you just saying that, so I don't feel like a—”
“Don't put yourself down, Kiel. I promise, it's my favorite.” Eloise stirred the concoction with the eco-friendly spoon. Being this close to the water, she appreciated companies who did their part in keeping the sea life healthy and the water free from garbage. Seaport had adopted a plastic and straw free policy. Now, most of the to-go utensils were biodegradable and wouldn’t harm a turtle, whale, or any other animal.
Eloise pointed to the small triangle seat in front of her. “Do you have time to sit?”
Kiel nodded, pulled the seat closer to her, and sat. “I have all the time in the world.”
Suddenly, she was thrilled she had stayed late on the pier.
“What are you working on?”
She shrugged. “Whatever it turns out to be.”
“Do you sit here and paint all day?”
“Mostly. Today, I did caricatures.”
“You did?” Kiel seemed surprised.
Eloise nodded as she brought a spoonful of frozen lemonade to her mouth. “They're fun and a big hit with tourists.”
“I've never had one done. Can't even remember a time when I would want one done.”
“Do you want one now?”
Kiel shook his head and laughed. “I think that's the last image I want stuck in your head.”
He had nothing to worry about, but Eloise didn't tell him that. It was far too soon in their budding friendship to tell him she thought about him more than she should, or that she went to the bars to look for him.